Irish woman living legally in the US detained after returning to America from Cork

Cliona Ward is due to appear in court for a hearing on May 7

Cliona Ward was detained in America after returning to the US from Cork to visit family. Picture: GoFundMe

An Irish woman who has been living legally in the United States for more than 30 years was detained by the US immigration enforcement agency this month after returning from a visit to Ireland to see her ill father.

Green-card holder Cliona Ward, 54, first ran into trouble last month after arriving back in the US from a trip to Cork to visit her father, who is living with dementia.